ring topology

Network cabling scheme in which one cable sequentially connects all nodes and forms a closed loop. A datapacket starting from the originating node is examined by the next active node if it is addressed to that node. If it does, it is copied, otherwise it is regenerated and passed on to the next node until it reaches back the originating node and is discarded. The ability to regenerate data packets allows a ring topology to span far greater distance than bus or star topologies. See also token ring network.